Part 121

628 Book of The End: Great Trials and Tribulations

Abu Hurairah 4 reported that the Prophet 2% said, “Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, establishes the prayer, and fasts Ramadan, then it is a right upon Allah to admit him into Paradise, regardless of whether he migrated in the way of Allah or sat in the land that he was born in.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, will you not inform the people?” He said, “In Paradise there are 100 degrees (stations, rankings), which Allah prepared from those who fought in His Way. Between each degree and the next is as the distance between the sky and the earth. Then when you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaus, for it is the middle of Paradise and the highest part of Paradise, and above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful, and from it the rivers of Paradise are made to gush forth ~ or gush forth (Abu ‘Aaamir, one of the narrators, is the one who doubted).” (Ahmad) And Bukhaaree related a hadith through a different chain and with a similar meaning.

Al-Firdaus Is The Highest Level In Paradise; Prayer And Fasting Necessitate The Forgiveness Of Allah ‘Azza Wa-Jall (To Him belongs Might and Majesty)

Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal # related that he heard the Messenger of Allah #8 say, “Whoever prays these five prayers and fasts Ramadan — (the narrator says,) ‘I do not know whether he mentioned the Zakaat or not?’ — then it is a right upon Allah to forgive him, regardless of whether he migrated or whether he sat (ie. stayed) where his mother gave him birth.” Mu’aadh - said, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, should I not go out and inform the people?” He 2 said, “No, leave the people to work, for there are 100 levels in Paradise, and the distance between one level and the next is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. And the highest of those levels is the Firdaus, and over it is the Throne. It (Firdaus) is the most middle part of Paradise, and from it the rivers of Paradise gush forth. So when you ask Allah, ask Him for the Firdaus.” (Related by Abul-Qaasim At-Tabaraanee) At-Tirmidhee related the same, but through a different chain of narrators. And Tbn Maajah also related it with another chain, but his narration is a shortened version.

It Is From Al-Firdaus That The Rivers Of Paradise Gush Forth

“‘Ubaadah ibn As-Saamit 4 related that the Prophet 2% said, “Paradise is 100 levels; between each level and the next is the

Book of The End: Great Trials and Tribulations 629.

distance of 100 years.” Ibn ‘Affaan said, “Like the distance between the heavens and the earth, and the Firdaus is the highest of them in. degree, and from it the four rivers (of Paradise) emerge. And the Throne is above it. So when you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaus.” (Ahmad) At-Tirmidhee related it through a different chain of narrators.

The said description is only suitable for something that is domeshaped, for the highest part of a dome is also the most middle part of it, And Allah $@ knows best.

The Levels Of Paradise Differ, And None Knows The Degree Of Those Differences Except For Allah, The Lord Of All That Exists

Abu Hurairah 4 reported that the Messenger of Allah #8 said, “Paradise is 100 levels; the distance between one of those levels and the one that follows it is equal to the distance of 500 years.” (Related by Abu Bakr ibn Abee Daawood) At-Tirmidhee related it through a different chain with the wording, “The distance between one level and the next is 100 years.” He then said, “This hadith is Hasan sahih,””

Abu Sa’eed 4: related that the Messenger of Allah #€ said, “Paradise is 100 levels; were all that exists to gather in one of them, it would be spacious enough for them.” (Related by Al-Haafiz Abu Ya‘laa) AtTirmidhee and Ahmad related it as well.

A Mention Of What The Dweller Of Paradise With The Lowest Ranking Will Receive And What The One With The Highest Ranking Will Receive In Terms Of A Vast And Huge Territory

Allah 8% said: al ae “And when you look there (in Paradise), you will see a delight (that

cannot be imagined), and a great dominion’

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As for the last person to enter Paradise from the Prophet's nation, we have already related the narration of ‘IIgimah ibn Mas‘ood from the Prophet #%, in which is the following: “Are you not pleased that for you is the equivalent of the world and ten times more?” (Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The following is a hadith that Ibn ‘Umar .& ascribed to the Prophet 8%: “Verily, the dweller of Paradise who has the lowest ranking therein is one who will look at his gardens, his bliss, and his servants from the distance of 1000 years. And the most honorable of them (of the dwellers of Paradise) with Allah is one who will look at His Countenance (the Countenance of Allah) in the beginning of the day and at the end of the day.” He 2% then recited this Verse:

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In another narration, Ibn ‘Umar 4 reported that the Messenger of Allah #8 said, “The dweller of Paradise who is least in ranking will look at a territory that is 2000 years (in distance). He will see its furthest point just as he sees its nearest point. He will see his wives and his servants. And the best of them (dwellers of Paradise) in ranking is one who will look at the countenance of Allah twice every day.” (Ahmad) At-Tirmidhee related it through a different chain.

The following narration is related from Al-Mugheerah ibn Sho’bah a through ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Sa’eed ibn Abjar and Mutarraf (Ibn Abjar said that it is a saying of the Prophet 2% whereas Mutarraf did not): “Moosa said, ‘O my Lord, inform me of the dweller of Paradise who is the lowest in ranking.’ He said, ‘Yes, he is a man who will come after the people have settled in their abodes and after they have taken what was for them to take. It will be said to him: enter Paradise. Then he will say, ‘O my Lord, how can I enter it when the people have settled in their abodes and have taken what is for them to take?’ He will say to him, ‘Does it not please you that you should have the equivalent of what a king from the kings of the earth had?” He will say, ‘lam pleased, O my Lord.’ He will say, ‘For you is what is equivalent and what is equivalent (a second time {ie., twice as

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much)).’ (Sufyaan, one of the narrators, intertwined his five fingers). He will say, ‘I am pleased, O my Lord.’ Then Moosa said, ‘O my Lord, then inform me of the dweller of Paradise who is highest in ranking.’ He said, ‘Yes, they are the ones I wanted (to tell you about), and I will inform you about them. I planted their honor (Le., the honor and reward they will receive) with My Hands, and then 1 stamped a seal over it. Then no eye has seen (it), no ear has heard (of it), and it has not been thought of (or fathomed) by the heart of a human being.” (Related by Muslim and At-Tabaraanee, and the wording here is that of At-Tabaraanee)

And the confirmation of that is in the Book of Allah &:

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“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward

for what they used to do.’"! Abu Hurairah 2 reported that the Prophet #¥ said, “Allah ‘Azza WaJall (To Him belongs Might and Majesty) said, ‘I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has seen, which no ear has heard, and which has not occurred to the heart of any human being.” (Related by Bukhaaree and Muslim, and the wording here is that of Muslim)

The confirmation of this is in Allah’s Book: here AG i gee PR A Sh rath EG OK OTe 46S YEG ie gl ot fh GEG OE LS Sap “No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do," Sahl ibn Sa’ad a said, “I attended a gathering of the Messenger of Allah 2% in which he #% described Paradise, until he finished. At the end of his hadith (talk), he #% said, ‘In it is that which no eye has seen, which no ear has heard, and which has not occurred to the heart of any human being.” He #f then recited this Verse:

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“Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in charity in Allah’s 88 cause) out of what We have besiowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do." (Ahmad)

A Mention Of The Rooms Of Paradise, Their Elevation, Vastness, And Hugeness; We Ask Allah From His Grace To Grant It To Us From The Great Abundance Of His Favors

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And Allah # said:

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“As for such, there will be twofold reward for what they did, and they will reside in the high dwellings (Paradise) in peace and security’) Abu Sa’eed 2 reported that the Messenger of Allah 2 said, “Verily, the dwellers of Paradise will look from afar at the insides of the rooms of those above them just as they see — or you see — a glistening star that is going away in the horizon, from the east or the west, due to the disparity between them.” They said, “O Messenger

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